


To Defeat an Enemy

by JediMara77



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Crack Relationships, Hot Thrawn, M/M, Sinjir hates himself
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-01
Updated: 2017-12-01
Packaged: 2019-02-09 07:19:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12882888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JediMara77/pseuds/JediMara77
Summary: After the defection of Agent Kallus, Loyalty Officer Sinjir Rath Velus is assigned to the Chimaera to investigate Grand Admiral Thrawn.





	To Defeat an Enemy

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by Thrawn's workout, wondering how much Sinjir hated himself while he served the Empire, and friends who convince you to write horrible terrible pairings.

Thrawn was standing in the vast, multi-story hangar when Sinjir exited the shuttle. His stride faltered for just a moment before he continued forward; the untrained eye would be unable to sense his surprise at the grand admiral's presence. But Thrawn's glowing red eyes were most definitely not untrained, and he smiled in what Sinjir surmised was an approximation of smugness and curiosity as he approached.  

"Lieutenant Rath Velus." Thrawn's voice was as smooth and cold as his ice blue skin. His grand admiral's uniform was as crisp and white as the Star Destroyer's exterior. Sinjir found himself smoothing his hands over his own white tunic, even though he had checked his appearance several times before leaving the shuttle, ensuring not a hair was out of place before meeting his mark. "I am Grand Admiral Thrawn," the alien said. "Welcome to the _Chimaera_."

"I know who you are." Sinjir had to move closer to hear Thrawn's words. He supposed that was part of the admiral's strategy to lure in his opponents. Sinjir glanced behind Thrawn, searching for an aide or second-in-command or any other officers of note. But other than the two of them, the hangar was completely empty. There was not even a tech around to secure the shuttle, and Sinjir's pilot remained aboard the shuttle for the time being. Sinjir met Thrawn's gaze and continued. "It's very kind of you to greet me in person. I've found that commanding officers are usually too busy to meet with the new arrivals."

"Normally I am, but for loyalty officers I choose to make an exception." Again that maddening half smile came to Thrawn's full lips. The planes of his face were chiseled, yet his skin seemed to hold no imperfections. That was fitting, considering what Sinjir knew of the alien. "Shall I escort you to your office?" Thrawn asked.

_An office of my own, on the flagship of the man I'm supposed to secretly incriminate for treason. This will go well._

Sinjir straightened his shoulders. He'd been taught by the best and cruelest officers in the Empire and he wasn't about to let some master tactician unnerve him. Especially one with questionable loyalty to Emperor Palpatine. Especially one who could tear him apart the moment he revealed a weakness. "Thank you very much, admiral."

Without another word, Thrawn turned. Sinjir followed at his heel, marveling at how Thrawn had already succeeding in gaining the upper hand, and pondering what he could do to switch the balance of power.

Whatever that was, he'd have to do it soon. Thrawn was a patient man.

#

One day later, Thrawn summoned Sinjir to his office. At first Sinjir thought Thrawn had already detected his snooping, and he began planning a quick escape. Then he reminded himself he'd been assigned to the _Chimaera_ on orders from Emperor Palpatine himself. It didn't matter that this was the grand admiral's flagship; here, Sinjir's rank and station a a loyalty officer in the Imperial Security Bureau would protect him. It was the same thing he told himself every time he was assigned to investigate a high-ranking officer--although Thrawn was definitely his most intimidating target so far. Besides, Thrawn had to know why Sinjir had been sent here. It was silly to try to hide his investigation. That only made it seem like he was doing something wrong.

Thrawn probably wanted to get to know the newest officer on his flagship. From everything Sinjir had read about the alien admiral, he knew Thrawn prided himself on learning how everyone around him ticked. That included friends, as well as enemies.

Right now, Sinjir had to be both.

He paused outside the blast doors that led to Thrawn's private office, composing himself. The corridors were white, with oval lights placed every few meters, an echo of every Imperial installation he'd ever had the pleasure of visiting. Then he inserted his code cylinder and stepped inside the entrance before the doors had completely slipped open. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dim light, a stark contrast from the bright overhead lights of the public corridors. Before he could continue moving forward, a familiar noise caught his attention.

The crashing and buzzing of assassin droids. And the screams of someone fighting them.

Sinjir hurried down the corridor toward Thrawn's office. Thrawn was supposed to be the only person in this area right now. If assassin droids had somehow gotten loose on the ship, if they took care of the Thrawn problem before Sinjir was able to get to the bottom of the admiral's plot--

He ran past an open doorway and stopped dead in his tracks.

Thrawn was inside what looked to be a small gymnasium. Mats lined the floor and the walls, but otherwise the room was bare. But he was not pressed up against the wall begging for his life, as Sinjir had expected, nor was he attempting to flee from the assassin droids. He was _fighting_ them. With his own two hands.

Sinjir watched the admiral move, unable to keep his mouth from going slack-jawed. In combat, Thrawn was a work of art. Swift, precise, and unafraid. Sweat glistened on his light blue skin, and he grunted and roared as he pushed back the assassin droids across the room.

A part of Sinjir's mind warned him to look away, or to go back the way he came, or to continue on to Thrawn's office and wait for him there. The admiral had obviously given him the incorrect time for their meeting. No, that couldn't be right. Thrawn never made mistakes. Sinjir must have gotten something mixed up.

He should leave and come back later--or never. Or he could stay here and watch as Thrawn displayed more physical prowess than Sinjir had ever seen in an officer, and he'd been trained in the Imperial Security Bureau.

As soon as the thought ran through his head, Thrawn said, "Override code: C'baoth!"

The droids froze in place, a mirror of Sinjir on the opposite side of the doorway. Without turning, Thrawn said, "Ah, Lieutenant Rath Velus. I've been expecting you."

Sinjir swallowed hard, praying his next words would not come out as a croak. "I apologize, Grand Admiral Thrawn. I didn't mean to interrupt you." He stared at the assassin droids, now pointing their weapons at him, and prepared to drop to the ground.

"On the contrary, you're right on schedule." Thrawn adjusted his sleeveless tunic and smoothed down the fabric, like he was wearing his best uniform. "Please, continue to my office. I will meet you there shortly."

Sinjir nodded. He didn't trust himself to say anything else. Not without sounding like a hormonal teenager.

Once inside Thrawn's office he sat in the empty chair on the other side of Thrawn's desk. The office, like the rest of the corridor outside, was dark, but a holographic map of the galaxy filled the space behind Thrawn's desk. Worlds with suspected Rebel sympathies, Sinjir surmised. The walls were decorated with artwork made of various media, including flat portraits and holographic sculptures of alien origins. Sinjir had heard about the grand admiral's penchant for studying art. Sinjir was grateful he'd never had any artistic tendencies that Thrawn could use against him.

Quicker than Sinjir had predicted, the door behind him slid closed. Sinjir did not tense as Thrawn came into view and sat on the other side of the desk. He wore his grand admiral's uniform again; the barest hint of sweat dotting his forehead was the only indicator of his vigorous workout. He must have washed up quickly. Unbidden images came to Sinjir's mind. He blinked them away.

"I trust you've had no problems transitioning to your stay on the _Chimaera_ ," Thrawn said, clasping his hands on top of his desk.

"Yes, sir." Deference did not come easily to Sinjir, not as a loyalty officer who normally operated outside the chain of command, but it was necessary for this assignment. Although if everything he had heard about Thrawn was true, the grand admiral was more likely to respond to competence than to submission. "Although I've had some problems accessing the main computer network. I suppose some of your soldiers dislike the idea of having a loyalty officer snooping on board their ship."

"I am sorry to hear that. I will, of course, ensure you receive everything necessary to conduct your work." Thrawn glanced at Sinjir's datapad, giving no indication that he was one of the people who grew suspicious and paranoid whenever a loyalty officer opened an investigation. In Sinjir's experience, that either meant Thrawn had nothing to hide or he thought he was above the Empire. Judging by what the his superiors in the ISB had told him about Thrawn, he suspected the latter was true. "I suppose you're wondering why I invited you here, Lieutenant Rath Velus," Thrawn said.

"I assume you want to clear the air about what happened with Agent Kallus," Sinjir said. His lip curled at the thought of that traitor to the Empire. "That way I can quickly finish my investigation and your crew will be able to work in peace again." That's what tended to happen whenever he was assigned to a new ship. They wanted to placate him with confessions of minor crimes and push him out before he had a chance to find anything truly incriminating. But Sinjir _always_ found incriminating things in the Empire. The entire organization was a festering pit of disloyalty and treason.

Thrawn frowned--or at least Sinjir thought he did. It did not look much different from his normal expression. "You must think very poorly of yourself," Thrawn said.

"On the contrary, I think very highly of my ability to root out traitors. And, given your experience with Kallus, so should you." Sinjir had to admit he was somewhat jealous of the way Thrawn had determined Kallus was a traitor. If Thrawn didn't have split loyalties, Sinjir might recommend Thrawn give lessons in tactics to ISB officers.

"It was easy to detect once I knew what to look for." Thrawn leaned back in his chair. "The Imperial Security Bureau has informed me that you've read Agent Kallus's entire file, as well as mine. What else would you like to know about him?"

"Mostly I'd like to know why you didn't report him to his superiors even after you'd determined he was a traitor."

"Ah, surely someone of your skills can understand the importance of stringing along an unwilling double agent."

Sinjir thinned his lips. Between Thrawn's attempts to throw him off balance, and now this flattery, Sinjir was forced to use every bit of his control to regain the upper hand.

Who was he kidding? Here, on Thrawn's turf, gaining the upper hand was impossible. He needed to finish this conversation, leave, and do his job far away from the office. Or he needed to figure out a way to reverse the playing field.

"Just because your gamble succeeded doesn't mean the ISB is comfortable with potential security breaches," Sinjir said. "Do we even know what sort of information Kallus passed to the Rebellion? Do we know how many Imperials he aided in defecting?" There had to be more than the two cadets from the Skystrike Academy.

"Admiral Yularen was eventually made aware of Kallus's treachery, and he did not insist on his immediate arrest. I assumed that was all the endorsement required to use Kallus to my designs."

There was no point to Sinjir mincing words. Only a fool would attempt to deceive Grand Admiral Thrawn. He knew exactly why Sinjir had been sent here and didn't care one iota about clearing his name. Why would he, when he thought so highly of himself? If Thrawn had his way, SInjir was the one who would be apologizing when he departed the _Chimaera_.

"Admiral Yularen might have been satisfied," Sinjir said, "but those above him were not."

"Emperor Palpatine is listening to his advisors again, I take it. They hate me for being who I am. I'm sure you can understand that."

If he only knew. "The Emperor has harbored concerns about your loyalty since you first joined the Empire. You cannot blame him for that."

"Can't I? Palpatine believes that people are inherently loyal to their place of origin. That's why he works so hard to remove such loyalties from his subjects. But in this matter, he is mistaken. Why should I be loyal to the Chiss after they exiled me?"

"He must have his reasons." Sinjir squirmed, uncomfortable with the idea of questioning Palpatine's motivations. Sinjir was trained to follow orders and root out traitors, not to question the supreme leader of the Galactic Empire. Merely voicing those thoughts would be enough to throw Thrawn in jail, if not execute him for treason. But for some reason he could not understand, Sinjir held his tongue.

"I'm sure he does," Thrawn said. "And I'm certain that me not immediately executing a confirmed traitor adds to his doubts about me. You will find that his fears are unfounded, however, and that is why I intend to do everything I can to assist you in your investigation."

"I appreciate that. The main computer...?"

Thrawn pressed a button on his datapad. "Do not worry. Access is yours."

"Thank you, sir. If you don't mind, I'd like to get to work." The sooner Sinjir got off the ship, the better.

"Of course," Thrawn said. "There's no point in wasting your time any longer than necessary. Or mine."

Sinjir waited for Thrawn to stand before doing the same and turning to leave the office. Before Sinjir could open the door, however, Thrawn's hand fell on his shoulder. Sinjir flinched away but Thrawn's grip held tight. "You're an exceptional officer, Lieutenant Rath Velus," Thrawn said. "I hope you are aware of that."

"I am." Sinjir wanted to say that this was highly inappropriate, but the words fell dead on his lips. "Thank you, Grand Admiral Thrawn."

Thrawn let go.

#

Sinjir spent the rest of the week investigating the _Chimaera_ 's crew. He needed to regroup after launching a new offensive on Thrawn, and there was no better way to regain his confidence than uncovering the crimes of supposed Imperials. To his dismay, he could find almost nothing of consequence regarding the officers of the _Chimaera_. From all outward appearances, Thrawn only recruited the most trustworthy crewmembers onto his ship.

That didn't mean they weren't guilty, however. Imperials were always guilty. Sinjir would know. But Thrawn's subordinates, like Thrawn himself, excelled at keeping secrets.

It was time for a new tactic. Sinjir had also been trained to be a weapon, and so he would be one.  

Due to his computer access, he knew when Thrawn would be out of his office and when he was due to return. Sinjir did not have to sneak into the restricted section thanks to his security clearances. An alarm would surely alert Thrawn of an intrusion, but that was exactly what Sinjir wanted.

Sinjir brandished his weapon before opening the door to the gymnasium, fearing that Thrawn might have programmed the assassin droids to immediately attack as some sort of sadistic workout regimen. Thankfully, they were disabled. Sinjir put down his blaster and datapad, shrugged off his tunic, and kicked off his boots. Standing in the middle of the room in his black uniform pants and a brown undershirt that matched his skin tone, he wondered how to start up the workout program. He had heard Thrawn use an override code to turn off the droids, but didn't know if the same code was utilized to start them up. There was only one way to find out.

Lowering himself into a fighting stance, Sinjir cleared his throat and tried to remember how Thrawn pronounced the strange word. "Override code: C'baoth!"  

Red eyes illuminated on the droids. The two of them stepped away from their charging stations on the wall and lumbered toward Sinjir. At first they seemed clumsy, easily defeatable, but with each step they grew stronger, more certain in their movements. Sinjir supposed he should have started this sparring match against only one droid, but it was too late to turn back now. He only had to keep himself alive for a few minutes.

One of the assassin droids shoved its fist at Sinjir's head. Sinjir ducked and backpedaled to the other side of the room, careful not to let himself get backed against the wall. The droid's fist slammed into the bulkhead with a large smash. When its arm came away, Sinjir was surprised the droid hadn't made a dent in the wall.

The other droid, seeing its partner fail in its strike, took its turn against the intruder. It reached to grab Sinjir's waist and, presumably, throw him into the air. Sinjir ducked again, then jumped, using all his agility to dodge the droid's attacks. He did not dare strike them just yet; he did not know if he was strong enough to survive hand-to-hand combat against assassin droids for very long, and he had to be ready for Thrawn's arrival.

The droids, annoyed with Sinjir now, turned to face him as one. Sinjir could almost hear the chronometer counting down on his wrist comm. _Where the hell is Thrawn?_ Sinijr's blaster was on the other side of the room. Sinjir edged in that direction, kicking himself for not keeping himself armed. That was the error of someone inexperienced, someone with too much of a desire to prove himself. Sinjir would ensure his error did not turn into a mistake.

He dove in between the assassin droids, perched over him like huge metal skeletons. The droids whipped around to catch their prey, but were too slow for Sinjir's deft movements. Assassin droids like these were programmed for strong attacks that would quickly end a fight, not tracking someone as fast as Sinjir. And Sinjir had always been fast. It had been one of this things his instructors liked best about him.

After only a second, the weapon was in his hand, as if it had leaped there by use of the Force. But Sinjir did not need the Force. He was a weapon of his own. He aimed at one of the assassin droids, hesitating before pulling the trigger. He wanted Thrawn to catch him in the act or fighting them bare-handed, but he wouldn't be able to evade the droids forever. Getting rid of one of them would allow him to keep fighting until the grand admiral arrived. One of the assassin droids stomped toward him and reared back its hand to lay a blow against Sinjir's head. Sinjir dodged at the last second; the droid connected with his shoulder instead. Sinjir rolled with the impact, wincing in pain as he pushed himself back onto his feet. That was going to leave a mark. He raised his blaster again--

The door opened. Thrawn stepped through the doorway, not one centimeter of his white grand admiral's uniform looking out of place in the small gymnasium. He took in the scene and his mouth fell open, only a miniscule amount, but enough for Sinjir to notice. Sinjir always noticed everything.  

Sinjir took his finger away from the trigger and bellowed, "Override code: C'baoth!" before Thrawn could make as sound. He turned away from Thrawn as he gathered his belongings, not wanting to let the Chiss see him breathing so heavily. Each time he stretched his right arm, it felt like a thousand knives were digging into his shoulder.

Thrawn's soft footsteps echoed as he crossed the room to stand behind Sinjir. "Lieutenant Rath Velus, what are you doing in this section of the ship?"

"I apologize, admiral." Sinjir paused, willing his heart rate to return to normal, before he turned around. "My clearance allows me access to your private quarters. Since the other crew members are...uncomfortable...with my presence, I thought it best to utilize your gymnasium space. I attempted to inform you of this, but you were occupied at the time. I didn't expect you to return for quite some time." He held Thrawn's gaze, forcing a blank expression onto his face. He had, in fact, known that Thrawn would return the moment he learned someone had entered his private quarters without his knowledge. That was all part of the plan to throw Thrawn off balance the way the Chiss had done to him.

"I see," Thrawn said. "That certainly is a logical explanation." His voice remained soft and perfectly modulated. Sinjir wondered if Thrawn ever reacted to anything. "And how do you find my assassin droids, Lieutenant Rath Velus?"

"They're exquisite," Sinjir said. "I can see why you practice with them as often as you do." Judging by Thrawn's muscular arms, he assumed the alien's frequent workouts were a safe bet. _Don't stare at them_ , he admonished himself _. Maintain eye contact. He will appreciate that_ . Sinjir had learned as much as he could about the mysterious grand admiral before boarding the _Chimaera_ , and now he had to rely on his instincts. If he hadn't read Thrawn correctly, he'd be off the Star Destroyer in an instant, if not worse. And if Sinjir didn't uncover the information the Emperor wanted, he wouldn't have to worry about reprimands from his superiors, because he might was well eliminate himself.

"I find it important to keep my skills honed." Thrawn looked Sinjir up and down. "As do you, I presume."

Sinjir wet his lips, immediately regretting that break in his composure. Thrawn had once again succeeded in intimidating him, or attracting him, or whatever the hell it was Sinjir felt in the pit of his stomach whenever he allowed his eyes to fully take in Thrawn's blue skin and glowing red eyes. Sinjir finished adjusting his uniform to Imperial standards, pleased that he had not sweated too hard in his short workout, and brushed his hair back from his face. He passed his blaster from his left hand to his right, and slipped the weapon back in his holster. "Not as much as I should. Especially against living opponents."

Thrawn lifted his chin. "In the future, I should appreciate if you inform me before you enter my private areas of the ship."

Sinjir nearly grinned. This was the opening he had been looking for. "Why should I do that, admiral? I am performing an investigation on this ship, after all. You claim you have nothing to hide."

"I do have nothing to hide, lieutenant."

"Then you should have no problem with be accessing your private areas."

With a crisp nod, Thrawn left the gymnasium. Sinjir followed as close as he dared, not wanting to come across as chasing after Thrawn, merely curious about whatever it was the admiral had up his sleeve now. Once inside his office Thrawn gestured around the room, at his artifacts lining the walls and the datapad on his desk. "Go ahead, then," Thrawn said, narrowing his eyes. "Perform your investigation. If you are so confident in your assignment, you should have no problem with me observing you."

Sinjir's jaw set, that familiar ball of rage growing inside his heart. _This_ was the reason his instructors at the Academy had identified him as a perfect candidate for the Imperial Security Bureau and later as a loyalty officer. Usually, his anger remained perfectly honed, driving him to out fellow Imperials as traitors if not prove himself as a devoted subject of the Empire. Because over the years he had learned that such an act was impossible. There _were_ no devoted subjects of the Empire, only cogs in the machine, and cogs could always be replaced. Even someone like him. Even someone like Thrawn.

"You're treading on thin ice, admiral," Sinjir said, not caring when Thrawn reacted by stepping closer to him and clenching his fists. " _You_ are the one under investigation here. _You_ are the one should be intimidated, not me."

"Oh, you may think you have control here, Lieutenant Rath Velus, but you're sorely mistaken. My position in the Empire was granted by Palpatine himself."

"So was mine. And the Emperor no longer trusts you."

"The Emperor doesn't trust anyone. I cannot blame him for that. He rules by fear instead of by inspiration. That way will only lead to defeat. The Rebels are foolish, and their numbers are weak, but all they need is time to become a superior fighting force."

"Is that why you let Agent Kallus escape?" Sinjir said.

"I did not _let_ him do anything," Thrawn hissed. "Agent Kallus played directly into my hand. The Rebels suffered a crushing defeat at Attolon. Only through sheer luck was Kallus able to get off the _Chimaera_ unharmed."

"And now he is a member of the Rebellion, passing along intelligence about the Empire."

Thrawn smiled slightly. "Unfortunately for him, not all that information is correct. What will the Rebels do to him when they realize that? Will they believe him to be a triple agent? Will they believe him sincere in his protests that I fed him misinformation in an attempt to discredit him?" Thrawn held out his hands. "Only time will tell."

Sinjir wished he had thought to record this conversation. Even without a recording, this conversation was all the evidence he required. Whether or not Thrawn had continued loyalty to his people no longer seemed relevant in light of his personal opinions about the Emperor. Sinjir could end his investigation as soon as he left his office. Unlike Thrawn, Sinjir would not let his prey slip out of his grasp so easily.

Sinjir glanced around the office. Pieces of artwork decorated the walls. The grand admiral believed in his ability to analyze his enemies and allies alike. Unfortunately for him, he had misjudged his current opponent. "Thank you, Grand Admiral Thrawn, but it won't be necessary to search your office. Have a nice day."

He turned. He didn't get one step before Thrawn grasped his arm, yanking him back around. They stood toe to toe, Sinjir looking up into Thrawn's blue face, Thrawn glaring down at him with flared nostrils. Despite the slight height difference and Thrawn's brawnier physique, Sinjir was not intimidated. Quite the opposite. He could not stop his body responding to Thrawn's closeness. He should have stepped away before Thrawn noticed his quickness of breath and his sweaty palms.

Instead Sinjir laced his fingers into Thrawn's hair and pulled him down to kiss him.    

Thrawn widened his eyes but he did not push Sinjir away. Thrawn leaned deeper into the kiss, clutching Sinjir's shoulders so hard Sinjir nearly broke away. Between Thrawn's fingers and the assassin droid's, Sinjir would no doubt have to place a visit to the medbay tomorrow. But he didn't care. The kiss was urgent and angry and made Sinjir want to throw up, but he couldn't stop. He didn't _want_ it to stop. He would use...whatever this was...to his advantage. Thrawn would not be able to intimidate Sinjir out of doing his job any longer. And if he tried, Sinjir would know how to get his way.

Sinjir was surprised when Thrawn pulled away, not violently as he had expected, but almost tenderly, his glowing red eyes raking over Sinjir's face like a caress. Sinjir was being studied, and he hated the sensation. This was what he did to every single person he encountered in the Empire. Perhaps he deserved this.

No; Sinjir knew he deserved this.

He kissed Thrawn again before he changed his mind.

#

For the next three nights, Sinjir sneaked into Thrawn's private quarters of the _Chimaera_. The first time, he tried to convince himself he was only there to ensure that Thrawn did not suspect Sinjir was trying to use him for information. The second night was more of the same. By the third occasion, Sinjir knew Thrawn could not be fooled and he should end this madness before he got himself killed. He supposed he should be more worried by that possible outcome, but he had long stopped caring about his inevitable death. He lived to serve the Emperor, and when that was part of his life was over, he might as well be dead anyway. Or so the Empire had drilled into him.

If Sinjir was strong enough to admit it to himself, being with Thrawn thrilled him more than anything else in a long time. The admiral could destroy him in a second if he chose to, both physically and mentally, but for some crazy reason Sinjir felt like he could be honest around Thrawn. Perhaps it was because Thrawn was not scared of what the Empire might do to him. Thrawn only cared about what Palpatine could do _for_ him, and, surprisingly, for his people. While Thrawn would never hold Rebel sympathies just for the sake of opposing the Empire, he would no doubt throw his support behind whatever he believed to be the strongest power in the galaxy. If the Rebels proved to be stronger than the Empire believed, well....

Sinjir did not allow himself to finish that thought. He was here to investigate treason, not commit it himself.

Thrawn had fallen asleep half an hour ago. Sinjir watched the admiral's naked chest rise and fall. He resisted the urge to trail his finger along the curve of Thrawn's stomach muscles, and further below; he'd had his fun, if one could call it that, and now he had to accomplish the task for which he'd come. Sinjir could not risk sneaking into Thrawn's office after their first dalliance, but now a sense of security had fallen over both of them.

Sinjir barely glanced over his shoulder after he shrugged on his uniform and crept out of the small quarters to Thrawn's private office. This office was half the size of the office he used to receive other officers, but it also contained pieces of artwork Thrawn used to study his enemies. Sinjir ignored the makeshift museum and bolted for the computer terminal on the desk. His code got him into the system with no problems. He had already copied relevant information from other crew members aboard the _Chimaera_ and passed that along to his superior officer. But even with his override code, information regarding Thrawn himself was locked down tight. Nothing incriminating at all about the man existed. Judging from the conversations they'd had, Sinjir knew that was impossible. Thrawn had to be sending messages to his people, the Chiss, or colluding behind the scenes with other high-level officers foolish enough to try to depose the Emperor, or--

The door to the office slid open. Sinjir snapped his head up and nearly tripped over the chair as he backed away from the desk. Thrawn stood in the doorway, silhouetted by the light in the bedroom, now at full illumination. He pressed a button on the wall to turn on the lights in the office. "Lieutenant Rath Velus," he said, shaking his head. "I'd hoped you were smarter than this."

"I didn't think someone like you was capable of hope," Sinjir said, blinking.

Thrawn rushed across the room and pressed his arm against Sinjir's chest. Sinjir's back slammed into the wall and he doubled over as the wind rushed out of him. Thrawn kneed Sinjir in the stomach, forcing Sinjir to gasp for breath again, and then squeezed Sinjir's throat and lifted him off the ground. Sinjir was so shocked by the quickness of the attack that he didn't even try to pry Thrawn's fingers off his neck. Even after their nighttime encounters, Sinjir hadn't thought Thrawn was capable of such violence. He was always so controlled. Why had a snarky comment about hope set him off like this?

Their eyes met, and any urge to fight melted away from Sinjir. Thrawn _was_ in control, as he always was, and could stop this attack at any time. He was pushing Sinjir in the only way Sinjir would respond to. His entire life had been shaped by violence and treachery and deception. Of course Thrawn had suspected he would try something like this.

Nodding, Thrawn tossed Sinjir to the side like a rag doll. Sinjir spent several moments doubled over, catching his breath, before backing away from Thrawn. The grand admiral brushed off his white uniform, smoothing down the wrinkles that had formed during the scuffle. Not a hair was out of place. Sinjir, on the other hand, couldn't stop trembling. His training as a loyalty officer was supposed to make him overcome his fear of death, and he had long stopped caring about someone discovering his sexual orientation, so what the hell was he so afraid of? "You're not going to kill me?" he said, embarrassed when his voice shook.

"I don't execute competent officers," Thrawn said. "And I wager you don't, either."

"That's what I _do_ ," Sinjir growled. "I'm a loyalty officer. My job is to root out traitors to the Empire. If I allowed treason to pass unpunished merely because that person was competent, my job would have no reason to exist."

"Then I suppose you should kill me, too."

"You know that I can't do that."

Thrawn arched his eyebrows. "Can't, or won't?"

Sinjir glanced away. "Not until I have the proper evidence to make a case against you." But the statements against Palpatine Sinjir had heard on the _Chimaera_ was all the proof he needed to execute Thrawn. And Sinjir's word was all the evidence his superior officer required to believe him. As always, the grand admiral had outsmarted him. Was he trying to recruit subjects to his side in his fight against Palpatine?

Out of the corner of his eye, Sinjir saw Thrawn grin. "It's for the good of the Empire to keep me alive, you know," Thrawn said. "I understand these Rebels better than anyone else. I have defeated them many times before, and I will continue to do so until they are eradicated completely."

"And what happens when you decide the Empire is no longer of any use to you?"

"I require nothing from the Empire, only the privilege to serve my Emperor."

"That's a lie if I've ever heard one."

Thrawn held out his hands, palms up. "You are correct, Lieutenant Rath Velus. I see the Empire as a means to an end. A way to keep my people safe from enemies within the Unknown Regions. That does not mean I wish to cast the Empire aside. The Chiss are strong, strong enough to repel whatever forces lay outside the known galaxy, but not enough to oppose the Empire. By serving Palpatine, and mapping the Unknown Regions for him, I ensure he does not attack the Chiss."

Sinjir thought back to his first conversation with Thrawn, inside the other office. "I thought the Chiss exiled you. Why do you care what happens to them?"

Thrawn regarded him for a long moment. "They did not exile me," Thrawn said simply.

For the first time in his life, Sinjir found himself speechless. "You lied to the Emperor?" he said after a long moment.

"Surely you're not surprised by that if you think I'm preparing to overthrow him."

"You _lied_ to the Emperor!" Sinjir repeated, only because he could barely believe it himself. He knew Thrawn had divided loyalties even if he didn't understand why, and he didn't trust the admiral to put the needs of the Empire above the needs of his people.

_His people_. Sinjir shook his head and reached for the blaster in his holster. There was only one way this encounter could end. But his hand came back empty. In his rush to get dressed, he had left his weapon on the floor of Thrawn's quarters. He met Thrawn's gaze again, expecting the grand admiral to pull out his own blaster and shoot Sinjir without another word, but his hands remained clasped behind his back, the epitome of calm.

"During my time as an Imperial, I have always done what is necessary to achieve my goals, and the goals of the Empire," Thrawn said. "This government cannot persist with blind adherence to Palpatine's desires. Not with the Rebels testing us."

"If you feel like you've done nothing wrong, what was _that_ ," Sinjir gestured madly at the doorway to Thrawn's quarters, "all about?"

Thrawn raised his eyebrows. "It was a means to an end. To ensure that you could not report me to your superior officer without voicing the same concerns about yourself. Don't tell me you didn't have your own ulterior motives when you first snuck into my gymnasium."

"Of course I did," Sinjir snapped. Ulterior motives to fuck Thrawn senseless. He shook himself. What an idiot he had been. "Everything you've said in my presence could be construed as treason. You know that."

"You're absolutely right." Thrawn moved closer to him, so they were only an arm's length apart. "What are you going to do about it?"

_What you should have done with Agent Kallus_ , Sinjir wanted to say. _Execute him without a second thought_ . But he had no weapon, and Thrawn would snap his neck before he allowed Sinjir into his quarters to regain possession of his blaster. He swallowed hard and said, praying his voice did not crack, "I'm leaving the _Chimaera_. My investigation is over."

Thrawn held him in place. "Not yet."

Sinjir looked at Thrawn, his heart thumping so hard he worried Thrawn could hear it. "What? You don't want me to leave without saying good-bye?"

"No," Thrawn said, closing the distance between them. "I want you to remember what happened here."

Thrawn pressed his mouth to his. Sinjir wanted to push him away. He wanted to leave. He wanted his life to return to normal. But he remained his place, kissing Thrawn with fervor, voicing no complaint when Thrawn shoved him against the desk and had his way with him. Even when they were sweat-slicked, skin-to-skin, he could never truly be close to another man. With a loyalty officer, that level of intimacy could never exist.

This was the life Sinjir had chosen. This was the person he had been trained to be. He could never be anything else but alone, hating himself, forever.

#

Sinjir's superior officer, Captain Sedres, closed the report on the datapad and leaned back in her chair to regard Sinjir. "The evidence was plain, Lieutenant Rath Velus. Why didn't you execute him?"

Sinjir had thought about that question during his entire trip back from the _Chimaera_. He hadn't known what he was going to say until the words were out of his mouth. "Because I believe Grand Admiral Thrawn is more useful alive than dead."

"The Emperor will not be pleased by this."

"The Emperor already knew of Thrawn's loyalty to his people. If he had a problem with that, he would have disposed of Thrawn long ago. He understands Thrawn's usefulness." Sinjir did not mention that his report withheld Thrawn's confession about faking his exile, nor did it reveal the nature of his relationship with the grand admiral. In the Empire, some things were better left unsaid. Perhaps, one day, Thrawn would learn that lesson.  

Sedres frowned, taking in Sinjir's words, evaluating whether or not they constituted a threat or challenge to the Emperor. She steepled her fingers and placed them to her mouth. "I trust your judgment, Lieutenant Rath Velus. Do you believe Grand Admiral Thrawn is a threat to the Empire?"

"On the contrary--I think not having him as part of the Empire would be a much bigger threat."

"I see." Sedres stood. "You are dismissed."

"Thank you, ma'am." Sinjir saluted and hurried from the office. Palpatine knew what he was doing when he had recruited Thrawn. Sinjir had to trust that keeping Thrawn around was better than executing or even exiling him all over again. Not that Sinjir had to worry about an Empire without Thrawn in its ranks. If that ever came to pass, Sinjir would be long dead.

It wasn't the worst possibility he'd ever considered.


End file.
